Never Alone
by Arikae
Summary: This story is a crossover with NCIS L.A. Colby Granger is on the run and he's alone. His teammates are dead. There is only one person he trusts enough to call for help. (Not a death-fic).


**Author's Note: Another weird one; NCIS L.A and Numb3rs crossover. However, it's predominantly a Numb3rs fic. I am going to apologise because I get the Marines and U.S Army and U.S Navy all mixed up so I don't even know if this crossover even makes sense. Then again, this is fan fiction and I'm allowed to be completely insane :D Hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in either show.  
**

 **Warning: un-betaed**

It was pouring rain by the time Colby Granger found a payphone outside a diner on highway 210. His hands trembled as he picked up the receiver and dialled a collect call to the one person he still trusted. It's been a while since they've been in touch but there has always been an unspoken respect between them. He wasn't even sure he had the right number. Hanna had fallen off the grid since he was honourably discharged from the Navy S.E.A.L. It was only by chance that Colby had run into a mutual friend of theirs who had heard a rumour he worked in a special operations unit of the NCIS.

* * *

Sam Hanna frowned when a collect call came through asking for him. It peaked his interest because the name he was given was Flink. Only a very select few knew that name. His partner, G Callen was curious as Sam picked up the phone to take the call. It's not often anyone was able to catch Sam off-guard.

"Hanna." Sam greeted, sternly. Concern was mixed in with curiosity now. Callen and Sam have been partners for over two years now and he could read Sam like a book. Sam was concerned and cautious.

Colby closed his eyes in relief at the stern greeting. "Didn't know if I had the right number."

Sam frowned at the voice that sounded vaguely familiar but the tremble in it made it hard for him to identify. "Who is this?" Callen walked over and perched himself on the edge of the table after hearing the edge in Sam's voice. It was getting late so a call at this time from someone making Sam nervous couldn't be good.

" _Bulkhead, I need your help."_

Callen watched recognition come to his partner. Sam wasn't weary any more but he was still concerned. The man on the other end was a friend, he deduced, but he was in trouble. "Colby, what's wrong?"

Callen walked back to his desk and called Eric. "Eric, I need you to trace the call on Sam's phone." He kept an ear on Sam's conversation.

* * *

Colby smiled tiredly at the sound of Sam's voice. It was like no time had passed at all. "Someone's trying to kill me." Colby coughed, "I couldn't think of anybody else I could trust."

* * *

Sam listened to the pain filled words, "Colby, are you hurt?"

 _"Yeah…two cars have been following me from the hospital. They caught up to me a couple of times but I think I've lost them for now."_ Colby was getting tired. _"I need your help."_ He said again.

Sam may not have served with Colby for a long time but he knew him well enough to know Colby doesn't admit to weakness or ask for help unless he was running out of road. "Anything, Colby."

Callen wrote down the coordinates Colby was at and showed it to Sam. Sam read the note; highway 210, Pacoima. Debbie's diner _._ He pulled up the map on Sam's computer.

 _"There's a mole in the…FBI…Sam."_ Colby's voice was getting weaker.

"Colby, do you have a car?" Sam asked, he was starting to really worry about his friend's condition. "Can you drive?"

 _"Stole one from the hospital. Old car…no GPS."_

Sam smiled, nodding. "That's good thinking, Colby." Too many new cars were fitted with GPSs. Old technology was always better for staying under the radar. "There's a motel, not far from you. Five minutes at the most."

 _"Can't go to a motel. Can't afford to give them my name and I…"_

"Let me worry about that." Sam interrupted him. "Just get there and give them the name Anwar." It was an undercover alias of Callen's. "The guy there won't ask questions or take any details."

* * *

"Thank..." Colby slowly slid down the phone booth, his surroundings started going dark. He tried to fight it but his body has taken enough abuse over the last three days. The receiver slipped from his hand.

 _"Colby! Colby!"_

* * *

Callen worried when Sam jumped out of his seat, grabbing his gun and keys. "He's not responding. I have to go."

"I'm coming with you." Callen followed him out the door. The last time he saw Sam this worried, someone was trying to kill his wife.

* * *

Colby didn't know how long he'd been unconscious. He opened his eyes and saw the receiver hanging from the phone. He reached for it, missing it a couple of times, making it swing out of reach. He finally managed to grasp it in his hand and brought it to his ear. "Sam?" No one was there. Colby let it drop again and pushed himself up. He knew he couldn't stay out in the open like this. He could barely make it to his feet, leaning heavily against the booth. He pushed the door open and stumbled out into the pouring rain, turning around to find his car. His vision moved in and out of focus but he could make out the blue sedan around the side of the diner. He stumbled over like a man who had ten too many bottles of wine. Opening the driver's seat, he got in but that was as far as he could go. Colby gave in to the darkness.

* * *

 **Three days ago…**

Colby woke up cuffed to a hospital bed. He frowned as he pulled at it, rattling it against the rail on the bed. "What the hell?"

"Agent Granger." A voice from his right, near the door drew his attention. "I'm Agent Wagner of the ATF and you're under arrest for the murder of your supervisor Don Eppes and his team, David Sinclair, Megan Reeves and Liz Warner."

Colby's heart was pounding as he remembered the explosion at the warehouse. Don had told him to keep watch at the door of the warehouse. They kept radio silence. They had received intel from an old friend of David's at the ATF, that a known arms dealer they've been investigating; Vladimir Ketchov, was making deals worth millions. Colby's heart jumped when a call came through his cell phone. It wasn't often he answered a phone call while on an operation but it was from the office. "Granger." He answered while keeping his rifle trained on the door of the warehouse.

" _Colby,"_ It was Rachel, an analyst at the FBI. _"I ran a background check on David's ATF buddy. He just quit his job and is MIA."_

Colby's face drained of colour as he realised what that meant. He quickly spoke into his mike. "Don! It's a trap! Get out of there." That was a far as he got as the explosion at the front of the warehouse sent Colby up in the air and slamming him hard on the concrete. That was all he remembered and that was what he told the ATF.

"I find it hard to believe that Agent Eppes would leave you outside while sending in Agent Reeves and Agent Warner." ATF Agent Wagner accused.

Colby glared at him "Why? Because they're female? Any one of them could kick your ass." He remembered the move Megan demonstrated on him after the shooting in the FBI office. _Megan._ Tears came to his eyes as he realised that was all he had of his teammates now; memories.

"We have enough evidence to hold you so I'll stop being a smart ass and cooperate."

"What evidence? That I was there? Because I'm damn sure that's all you have but you on the other hand better tell me why a former ATF agent would lead my team into a trap!" Colby returned the accusation. Agent Wagner's eyes were deadly. "Or maybe I should check your credentials before I say anything more. Better yet, get me my lawyer." He hissed at the agent.

* * *

 **Present time…**

Don and his team, minus Colby, sat in the FBI safe house waiting for news on their situation. Someone went through a lot of trouble to get them into that warehouse to take them out. The news reported the death of four FBI agents in an explosion. Officially, they were dead which meant they had to keep a low profile. It was hard considering they were FBI Agents and sitting in a safe house instead of investigating was not in their nature.

Don looked over at David, knowing he was worried about Colby. There was no news on their teammate. "Colby's resourceful, he's probably keeping low until he can figure out who's behind this." Don tried to reassure David.

Megan nodded, "Don's right. Colby's not going to give up."

"He's probably already on their tail." Liz agreed.

David shook his head. "Someone tried to have us killed and all of Los Angeles believe they succeeded. Colby's one of them." He rubbed his face as he thought about Colby out there alone. "He thinks we're all dead. Whatever we're feeling right now, he's feeling twenty times worse. At least we can believe he's alive. He's knows we're dead."

The room fell silent as they each thought about what their teammate was going through. How would they react if one explosion took away their entire family?

* * *

 **Three days ago…**

Don got out of his truck. His team converged on him. "Colby, stay here and watch the front exit."

"Got it." Colby didn't complain about his assignment. He would rather be in the action but Don was the boss and as a soldier, Colby wouldn't question his superior's decision.

"David, you and Liz go left and Megan and I will go right." They got their assignments and headed in.

They got lucky. Megan had tripped over a crowbar left on the ground. As Don helped her up, she spotted the C4 under a shelf. "Bomb! Get out!" She screamed, knowing David and Liz could hear her on the other side.

"Go, go, go!" Don yelled. He heard the start of Colby's warning on the radio as they got out the door and threw themselves to the ground.

* * *

Don didn't know how long he was out. When he woke up, Megan was calling his name or so he guessed, because all he saw was her mouth moving. His ears were ringing. "…lucky, the explosion was closer to the front of the building." He caught the last part. "Come on. I can't get anyone on the radio. Let's go around to the other side."

* * *

David woke up with a metal bar across his legs. He and Liz hadn't got to the door in time. He did an assessment of himself. His head hurt but other than that, he felt fine. When the ringing in his ear stopped he pulled out his radio. "Don, Colby…are you there?" He asked as he tried to pull himself out from under the metal bar. Nobody answered the radio but someone did answer.

"David, where are you?" It was Liz.

"Liz, I'm stuck. He looked around and saw the exit sign above the door. I'm near the side exit door." He could hear Liz's breathing and the removal of obstacles. _Good, at least she's not stuck._ "Are you okay, Liz?"

"I'm fine." Liz puffed, "Just keep talking. I think I'm close."

"I can hear you." David closed his eyes and prayed the rest of his team was okay.

* * *

Don and Megan reached the other side of the warehouse. It looked like David's side took a bigger hit. He could see the red and blue light of emergency vehicles near the front of the warehouse. "Go lead them over here and check on Colby." Don ordered Megan. He was worried. If Colby were able, he would've been here before them. "David! Liz!" He tried the door but it was stuck.

Megan was halfway to the front of the warehouse when paramedics met her. "Ma'am, are you injured?"

"I'm fine, I need to check on my teammate, he was out the front." Megan tried to push past them but they stopped her.

"He's okay. He was unconscious when we got here but he had a strong pulse. Our colleagues have taken him to Huntington Memorial." The paramedics reassured her.

"Thank goodness." Megan sighed in relief.

"Megan!" She jumped at the sound of her radio. It seems the blast had interrupted the signals but it was up again. "Megan! We need the fire department. David and Liz are trapped inside."

Megan turned to the paramedics. "Got it!" They called in their colleagues.

* * *

 **Present time…**

They survived with scratches and bruises. Even David only had a sprained knee. It took three hours to get them out and after that they were transported to UCLA. Megan argued that they had to go to Huntington but Huntington had their hands full with bus accident victims. It was bad luck and bad timing because by the time the E.R had slowed down in both hospitals, the team was transported to the safe house with the assurance that Colby would be there as well.

Colby never arrived. There was no record of Colby having arrived at Huntington Memorial. The team insisted on leaving to find their teammate but the news had already reported their deaths. The FBI director ordered them to stay put and they have for three days now. If they didn't get word soon, they were going to break out.

* * *

On the road to Colby's coordinates, Callen quizzed Sam on Colby Granger. "So this guy can be trusted, right?"

Sam smiled, "We only served together for one tour but that was enough. Out of everyone in our unit, he was the one I trusted most to watch my back."

"Why's that? Did he save your life?"

Sam shook his head, he had a faraway look in his eyes. "We were stationed in Kandahar and the Taliban had bunkers and tunnels every where. Every night we were pounded by RPGs. Finally, we had enough and set up our own ambush." Sam sighed, "We didn't know the British were already there. By the time they called for help, two of them were dead already."

"Wasn't your fault." Callen said quietly.

"No, it wasn't but one night, I found Colby sneaking out of our bunker. I followed him. He went to the ambush site and pulled out two shot glasses." Sam smiled sadly. "It was a tradition we heard about and our unit adopted it. We hadn't lost anyone yet, but if we did we would pour a shot and toast the fallen."

Callen nodded, "Colby felt the loss as if it were his own troops."

"I joined him in that toast and from then on, I knew I could trust him because he believes that all lives are precious. Every soldier should be honoured not just those from our own country."

"He's a good man." Callen agreed, but he still had one more question. "You had an idea before you picked up the phone that you knew this guy. How?"

"He gave the name Flink. We called him that because he's the fastest and most agile guy in our unit and possibly the army. One of our guys threw a rock into a field of landmines. Colby was out in the field. I've never seen a man run and dodge the way he didn't. We were so sure he was gone but he reached us with only a couple of scratches." Sam shook his head chuckling, still in disbelief. "Anyone else would've died but Colby…he was even laughing when he ploughed into me."

"And what did he call you?"

Sam narrowed his eyes at Callen. "How did you know?"

"You didn't really recognise who it was until he spoke. He must've said something."

Sam chuckled, "Bulkhead. He…"

"No need to explain." Colby laughed.

Sam glared at him, "He calls me that because he ran into me during a football match we were having and almost knocked himself out." Callen continued laughing. "He said it was like running full force into a bulkhead."

* * *

Sam slowed the car when they saw the diner. The lights were off, the place closed for the night. Callen squinted threw the rain and pointed at phone booth. "There." Sam stopped the car and got out, running through the rain to the booth. He picked up the swinging receiver and put it back on the hook in frustration. Callen looked around, it was hard to see through the pouring rain but he found it. A car sitting near the back of the diner. "Sam!" He called, running towards the car. The driver's side door was opened. Callen and Sam slowed down and proceeded with caution, pulling their guns out. Callen approached the passengers side while Sam took the driver's side. His heart was thumping, praying he wasn't too late. He pointed his gun through the door and breathed out when he saw it was Colby. "Flink!" Sam holstered his gun and checked his old friend for a pulse. Callen kept watch.

"Is he alive?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah, I think he's just exhausted. His pulse it strong."

"Okay, let's get him..."

Colby jolted awake, reaching for his gun. Sam grabbed his hands before he could. "Easy, Flink. It's me."

"Sam…" Colby started coughing after letting him self relax.

Sam winced at the nasty cough. "Come on, let's get you into my car."

Colby jumped when Callen opened the passenger side door. "Hi Colby. I'm Callen, Sam's partner." He nodded at Colby's arm. "We should get that looked at."

Colby looked down at his aching arm and nodded, exhausted. "'Yeah."

"Let's get you into Sam's car and I can dress it there." Callen walked over to the other side and helped Sam pulled Colby out of the old sedan. He pulled Colby's left arm over his shoulder, while Sam gently took his injured arm and quickly walked him over to their car. They could feel the heat coming off the FBI Agent.

Callen got in the back with Colby and took the first aid kit Sam got from the boot of his car. Sam got in and started the engine. It was hard to get Colby's torn shirt off. Colby was so weak he could barely help. Colby grunted as Callen slipped his injured arm out of its sleeve. Callen untied the blood soaked makeshift bandage. "Through and through. I'll need to disinfect and then re-bandage it."

Colby didn't care what they did. He was just glad they were here and he wasn't alone anymore. "There's a mole in the FBI, Sam…another one." _Another?_ Sam exchanged frowns through the rearview mirror. How many moles can one agency have? "They killed my team." Colby whispered. He had never said those words out loud. It was as if he'd been avoiding the words. That way it wasn't real. His heart started pounding faster and his breathing became short and uneven.

"Colby!" Callen called his name, but the man didn't respond.

Sam stopped the car and turned around in his seat. "Flink!"

Callen held the bottle of medicinal alcohol. He poured it on making Colby hissed and pulling him out of his shock. Sam reached back and grabbed Colby's left wrist, stopping him from punching his best friend and partner. "Sorry." Callen started bandaging the wound.

Sam gave Colby's arm a shake, taking his attention off Callen. "We'll find out who did this. I promise."

Callen could feel Sam's friend trembling as he fastened the bandage. "It may be out of NCIS jurisdiction but I'm sure Hetty won't mind letting us work this one off the books."

Sam nodded gratefully at his friend. Colby started coughing again and the sheen of sweat across his brow told Sam he was definitely running a fever. "We should get you to a hospital."

"No," Colby gasped, "They'll be watching the hospitals. Whoever did this is still after me." He said between coughs.

"We'll take him to the boathouse. I'm sure Hetty will know of a doctor we can trust." Callen offered instead, "You'll be safe there."

Colby nodded, exhausted, "Thank you."

Sam turned back around and started the car again. They needed to get Colby out of his soaked clothes.

Colby closed his eyes, letting himself relax now that he had Sam and his partner watching his back. Sam looked at Colby through the mirror. Callen could see how worried his partner was. "He'll be okay up until we catch these guys. After that, it's going to hit him and he's going to need you."

Sam nodded but he didn't know if he could get Colby past this because he didn't know if he could get past it if he lost his team.

* * *

 **At the boathouse…**

Colby's fever was raging by the time they got him to the boathouse. Hetty was already there with a doctor. Sam and Callen carried the barely conscious FBI Agent to the couch, gently lowering him into it. They got Colby out of his wet clothes and covered him with a blanket. They'll get him into clothes once the doctor was finished checking him over.

Hetty pulled Sam and Callen aside to talk, while the doctor took care of Colby. "Explain." She said curtly.

"He's an old army buddy of mine. Colby Granger." Sam was about to tell Colby's story, hoping to convince her to let him continue with the case when Hetty held up her hand.

"I've heard enough."

"But…"

"You have all of NCIS's resources at your disposable. Special Agent Colby Granger spent two years of his life sniffing out a mole in the DOJ. He brought down a Chinese Spy Ring, at the expense of his own life." Callen grinned, there was nothing Hetty didn't know. "He was technically dead for fifteen minutes before the paramedics revived him."

"Sounds like Colby." Sam smiled at his friend. He didn't know what Colby had been up to after he was pulled for intelligence but he didn't think he had gone undercover.

"What do you know so far?"

Sam shook his head. "Only that his team was killed. We needed to get him to the doctor first."

"I have Eric and Nell looking into his recent case. We'll have something soon. I've also called the director for a favour." Director Vance worked in the D.C office but he would have enough connections to pull some strings and get the information they need. "We'll find out what happened to his team, Agent Hanna and if there really is a mole in the FBI, we will find him or her."

"Thank you, Hetty." Sam's attention went back to Colby who seemed to be sleeping peacefully after the doctor gave him an injection. "I'm going to talk the doctor."

"Dr James is very good at his job. He's in good hands, Sam."

Sam nodded and turned back to Hetty, smiling. "I know. I just want to sit with him. I don't know how long he's been running for but he's no longer alone and I want him to know it."

* * *

Dr James assured Sam that Colby would recover, however, he needed to keep an eye on him. He had a bad chest cold, which could turn into pneumonia if they weren't careful. He gave Colby an injection of antibiotics and a sedative to help him sleep. He stitched the bullet wounds and re-bandaged it. As long as he rested, he would heal.

Sam watched over his friend as he slept, worried he would be plagued by nightmares, but it seemed his mind was too exhausted even for that. "We're going to find who did this and they are going to pay." Callen promised him.

"Yeah, but in the end, it doesn't bring his team back, does it?"

Callen shook his head, "Not even a miracle can do that."

The TV screen in the boathouse came up and Nell and Eric's faces filled the screen. "Wow Sam, your friend has…had one hell of a team." Eric quickly corrected himself. "Sorry, Sam."

"What have you got?" Sam waved away the apology.

"The explosion on the news a few days ago was Agent Granger's team." Nell told him. Sam knew it was. What were the chances that two FBI teams were taken down in a week? "The details of that has been classified and unless I hack into the FBI, we have pulled up blank. As for Colby Granger, he's been listed as missing for the last three days."

"Missing?"

"Yeah, apparently he left the hospital without signing himself out. The strange thing was, according to the hospital he was under ATF protection but we've checked ATF files and there are no files open for an Agent Granger." Eric and Nell couldn't understand it.

Sam frowned, "Colby said he stole a car from the hospital. If he was under ATF protection he wouldn't have to steal a car and why wouldn't anything come up on the FBI or ATF database if that were true?"

"Either the ATF also have dirty agents or…" Callen verbalised his thoughts.

"They weren't ATF." Sam finished in a low, deadly voice.

"So he's been on the run for 3 days?" Callen asked for a confirmation.

"Yes."

"No wonder why he's exhausted. That coupled with the knowledge that your team were all dead, it's enough to drive a sane man crazy." Sam turned to his friend on the couch.

"Whoever did this wants the whole team dead, that's why they've been relentless with Colby." Callen thought about what they should be doing. "Go back through the cases the team closed. Look for any recent paroles or their family members. It has to be related to one of their cases."

"We're on it, Callen. Don't worry, Sam, we'll get them." Nell promised.

Sam turned back to them and nodded.

* * *

 **FBI Safehouse...**

Don was sick of waiting around. This had gone on long enough. He was not going to sit on his ass while Colby was out there, doing god-knows-what! "We're leaving!" Don told his team.

"About damn time!" David, Liz and Megan all got up, ready to take on their own colleagues if they had to. Luckily, they didn't have to. The phone in the safe house rang. One of the agents picked it up. "Yes, Sir." He said, frowning before extending the phone to Don. "It's for you, Sir. Senior Agent Fornell from the D.C office."

Don frowned, taking the phone. "Eppes."

"Agent Eppes, you and your team are hard to track down." Fornell spoke, he sounded relieved.

"Believe me, Sir. None of us want to be here." Don was confused, "Can I ask why a Senior Agent in D.C is looking for us?"

"I have a stubborn friend named Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the NCIS who called me because his boss, Director Vance, who received a call from Hetty Lange in the NCIS Los Angeles office, asked him to get Gibbs to call me to find out exactly what happened to you." Don got a headache just trying to sort out the names...and why in the world NCIS was involved? "And imagine my surprise when I find out you're not dead, as we have been told but sitting comfortably at one of our safe houses."

"I wouldn't say comfortably, sir and since when did this involve NCIS?" Don asked, shaking his head at his team, telling him he was just as confused as them.

"Since Colby Granger called one of their agents." Fornell finally told them the real reason he was calling. He couldn't help but smile at the relief he heard on the other end of the phone.

"You know where Colby is?" Don had to hold out his team to stop them from bombarding him. "Is he okay?"

"I have only been told that he's alive and under their protection. They're a covert part of the NCIS so trust me when I tell you, he is safe with them." Fornell reassured them. "Go to Union Station, locker 26. Combination 2374. You'll find what you need there. Don't tell anyone and be careful." He hung up the phone, completing his 'assignment'.

Don slowly hung up the phone. A little dazed by the conversation. "Colby's alive. We can get to him but whoever did this is still out there." He looked at Megan, begging her to understand what he was about to ask.

Megan smiled, as long as she knew Colby was safe, she was satisfied. She turned to Liz, "How about it? Ready to do some digging?"

Liz smirked, "Get me a laptop and everything the FBI has on this case. I want to take down these bastards."

Don nodded, "Thank you. You can't go back to the office so you'll have to do everything from here." He turned to their protection detail. "Get them whatever they need."

"Yes, sir." He had been ordered by Fornell to do whatever Don's team wanted. He called his own supervisor to confirm the orders.

"Bring him home, Don." Megan pleaded.

"We will." He turned to David, "Let's go."

* * *

 **NCIS Boathouse...**

When Colby woke up it was a little past nine. At first he forgot where he was, forgot what had happened, expecting to be in his condo ready for another day when everything came back to him. He closed his eyes, trying to stop the emotions from over taking him. He couldn't break down, not yet.

Callen exhaled, sympathetic to what Colby was going through. How many times did Colby wake up, hoping it was all a nightmare before reality set in? He wished Sam was here but he needed to take a call just before Colby woke up. Colby needed a familiar face, one he trusted not someone he'd only met last night. "How are you feeling?" Callen asked, knowing he should get the man's attention.

Colby managed to push down his emotions before opening his eyes again. "Better, thanks."

"Sam's just outside on a call. He'll be back soon." He pointed at the dining table in the room, "Deeks, a colleague of ours, brought over some breakfast for us. You up to eating?"

Colby shook his head, grunting as he pushed himself to sit up. He looked under the blanket and found he was wearing a pair of dark grey sweats but was shirtless. "Not really, but I guess I should." He needed to keep up his strength if he wanted to solve this case. "You changed my clothes?"

Callen grinned from the dining table. "Yeah, why? Are you embarrassed?"

Colby shrugged, "Guess I don't have anything you don't, right?"

Callen laughed, glad Colby still had a sense of humour. He grabbed a bag from the table and looked inside. "Does a bacon and egg bagel sound good?" He gave a small smile when Colby nodded absently as he took in his surroundings. "How about tofu muffin?" Callen almost laughed when Colby frowned at him. "I see you're not that out of it." He put the bagel on a plate for Colby, about to bring it over when Sam walked back in.

"That was Hetty." Colby frowned at him, he remembered the name but he's never seen her. "Your team's alive, Flink." Colby opened his mouth but nothing came out. He didn't dare to believe what he just heard. "They made it out of the explosion. FBI kept that detail from the news to make the perps think they succeeded."

"They're alive." Colby barely got the words out as he let news sink it. He felt like he was floating. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find Sam sitting next to him.

"They're alive, Colby and they're on their way. So why don't you eat up so you have the strength to tell them what you've been up to?" Sam had taken the bagel off Callen and held it in front of him.

Colby smiled, the first real smile Callen had seen on Colby's face. He guessed a miracle was all that was needed after all.

* * *

Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks waited in the parking space they were given by Hetty. The FBI agents should be arriving soon. "I may not know Sam's friend but I want to be there when he sees his team alive and well." Deeks turned to Kensi. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you and the team."

"You won't." Kensi smiled, "But I know I won't miss your bad eating habits if you were gone." She added cheekily.

Deeks was about to retort when he spotted two men walking towards them. "Looks like they're here." He took out the picture he had of the agents. "Yep, that's them." Deeks got out to greet them but they stopped in their tracks. He frowned.

Don was suddenly weary of what they were about to do. They knew there is a mole in the FBI. What if this was a trap? David looked at him. "It's Colby, we don't have choice."

Kensi saw the hesitancy in the Agents and got out of the car with her phone. "Catch." She said. David did and looked at it. It was a picture of Colby, asleep on a couch. "He's a little worse for wear but he's alive. He needs you."

Don nodded, he didn't want to waste anymore time. They got in the car, letting Kensi and Deeks take them to where they needed to be.

* * *

Colby had thrown up the bagel he had eaten. It seems after three days on the run with barely anything to eat, his body wasn't ready for the oily bacon and egg bagel. Maybe the tofu would've been the better choice. Sam helped him to lie down after he emptied out his stomach in the bathroom. He felt Colby's forehead. He was still feverish and his coughing hadn't lessened. Colby didn't want to go back to sleep. He wanted to be awake when his team arrived but his body was still fighting exhaustion.

Callen smiled at Colby's attempt to keep his eyes open. "We'll wake you when they get in. Go to sleep. You need your rest."

Sam smiled as Colby finally gave in.

* * *

It was an hour later when Deeks and Kensi finally arrived with Colby's boss and partner. Sam and Callen greeted them outside, not wanting to wake Colby up just yet. He held his hand out to Don. "Sam Hanna and this is my partner G Callen."

Don and David shook their hands, exchanging names. They were being polite when what they wanted to do was shove them aside and get to their teammate. Callen saw how anxious they were. "He's asleep. When we found him he had a bullet wound in the upper arm and a chest cold." David clenched his fist, stopping himself from running into the boathouse. "I told him we'd wake him up once you arrive but I think after you see him, you may want to let him rest." Sam and he stepped aside for David and Don. They remained outside, giving them a private reunion.

* * *

Don and David quietly made their way to the couch where their teammate was resting. Colby's face was drawn with three days worth of growth. He laid on his back, his bandaged arm resting across his chest. A blanket was drawn up to his middle. His cheeks were flushed; a tell tale sign of a fever. "What happened to you?" Colby groaned in his sleep but he didn't wake up.

"Callen's right, we should let him sleep. He looks terrible." Don was telling himself that he and David should let his friend rest but he badly needed to see Colby awake and talking. "Why don't we head outside and get Sam and Callen to fill us in?" Don asked, though he wasn't really expecting David to answer. David was too focused on his partner.

"Just a minute." David requested, "I just need to…"

Don exhaled, "Yeah, me too." He couldn't imagine how Colby would be feeling if this is how he felt. Don knew Colby was alive but Colby thought they were dead. If seeing Colby like this brought out of feeling of seeing a long lost brother, how would Colby feel at seeing his dead teammates?

Colby frowned, kicking off the blanket. It was hot. He tossed at the discomfort and rolled over.

David and Don's eyes widened in horror at seeing what was about to happen. They couldn't move fast enough to stop Colby from rolling off the couch.

Colby's eyes flew open at the blinding pain of falling on his injured arm. The pain was so intense that he could even make a sound to voice it. He closed his eyes and tried to roll onto his back, but the couch stopped him. Suddenly, hands were on him, sitting him up before helping him back on the couch.

Don could feel his friend trembling from the pain. "Easy, Colb."

Colby had assumed it was Sam and Callen who were helping him up but there was only one person he knew who liked to shorten his name; _Don._ The hands gently eased him back against the couch. Colby forced himself to open his eyes and turned in his seat towards the voice he heard. He squinted, focusing his eyes on the man next to him.

Don smiled when Colby's eyes opened and looked straight at him. "Hey there."

"Don." The whisper was filled with pain and relief. Don nodded and watched as Colby reached out slowly with his hand, but it only hovered over his shoulder, not daring to touch him; scared that if he did, his boss would disappear and he would wake to the realisation that it was just another cruel dream. Don waited patiently, watching as fear and hope filled his eyes. He watched as Colby closed them before moving his hand the last inch, gripping Don's shoulder.

Colby sucked in a breath when his hand hit something solid. Slowly, he opened his eyes again. Don was still there. "It's not a dream, Colb." Colby nodded shakily, pulling his boss into a fierce hug that Don returned.

David stood back, watching it all unfold. He didn't know how much their falsified death had affected Colby until now. He knew Colby would be devastated by the news but seeing how scared Colby was to believe what he was seeing was real tore at him. He wished he had ignored order,s he wished he had just thrown in his badge and gone after Colby, he wished Colby didn't have to go through everything alone.

Don looked up at David, knowing it was taking all of his self-control not to jump in and pull Colby into his arms. Don wasn't ready to let go, but David needed his best friend. "There's someone else here you really need to see." Don whispered in Colby's ear. Don pulled back and smiled, nudging his head at someone behind Colby.

Colby turned around slowly and looked up. David smiled, "I can't let you out of my sight, can I?"

Colby let out a shaky breath, he didn't know if he wanted to cry or smile or laugh. He reached up with his good arm and David wasted no time in gripping it and pulling him into his arms. "It's so good to see you." He whispered. Colby couldn't think of any words that described how he was feeling so he just tightened his hold with as much strength as his worn out body would allow. "I'm sorry you had to go through this." David's hand came up and cupped the back of Colby's head. He frowned when he felt the stitches there.

Don worried when David's expression hardened. "How many stitches did you have to get? You must have one hell of a headache." David kept his voice calm and gentle but his expression told another story entirely. He was pissed and so was Don. The man who did this put Colby through hell and they were going to make sure he paid for every second of it.

David wasn't ready to let Colby go but he could feel the heat radiating off him, not to mention the trembling. "Come on, you need to rest." He pulled back and took a better look at his best friend, "You look terrible." He worried when Colby just nodded without a smart come back. "And you must be feeling it as well."

Don moved out of the way so that David could lay Colby back down on the couch. He winced when the injured man let out a couple of rattling coughs. It sounded bad. Fresh blood seeped through the bandage around his arm. "Looks like you might have torn a few stitches." Don nodded at Colby's arm. "I'm going outside to talk to Sam. Why don't you stay here with Colby? I'm guessing they have a doctor they can call." David nodded as he pulled the blanket up to Colby's shoulders. Now that all the emotions Colby had felt over the last few days were released, he felt as if he had no strength left. He could even keep his eyes open, but he didn't want to close them. He was scared that if he did, his friends would disappear again.

"Sleep. I promise I'll be here when you wake up." David read Colby's mind. Colby smiled, letting himself drift off with the comfort of David's word.

David grabbed a chair from the dining table and pulled it over. He wasn't leaving Colby's side again.

* * *

Outside, Don was speaking with Callen and his team. Deeks was on the phone with Hetty, asking for the doctor. Don was surprised to know that Colby had sought them out but glad that Colby had someone to turn to in this time. "Whoever that ATF Agent is, he's in the wind." Callen told him. "According to them, they have no information on an arms dealer in Los Angeles. As for the agents at the hospital…"

"Agents at the hospital?" This was all news to Don. Being isolated for three days made him feel like he'd been marooned for 3 years. "What agents?"

"When Colby woke up in the hospital, two ATF agents tried to pin your deaths on him. I don't know what their motives were for doing that but there are no records of ATF agents being at the hospital, so our guess is, they weren't agents."

Deeks hung up the phone. "Dr James is on the way." He briefly interrupted them.

Don nodded his thanks before continuing with his thoughts. "Whoever did this sent two guys to impersonate ATF agents…" Don didn't understand. "But why? What is the point of accusing Colby like that?"

Sam shook his head, he didn't get it either. "He could be just a sick bastard who thought he could torture Colby psychologically."

"Colby was already tortured by our deaths." Don fisted his hands, "That son of a bitch better hide."

"Don't worry, we'll help you get this guy." Sam promised. Don closed his eyes and let go of his anger for now. They have Colby back and that was what mattered most. "How are you and David?"

Don turned to Sam, surprised at the question. "We're fine."

Callen scoffed at that. "I highly doubt that." Don turned to him, confused. "There is no way you're fine after what your team's been through."

"We've been through worse." Don told him, thinking back to the days when they thought Colby was a spy for the Chinese. "We got past that, we can get past this."

Callen nodded, knowing there was a story there but he didn't pry. He had a feeling it had to do with the spy ring Hetty told them about. She said Colby almost died then or did die.

"I can't imagine going through anything worse than this." Kensi looked at Deeks and then the rest of her team. She knew how it felt to lose a team member, she didn't want to know how it felt to lose an entire team.

"I can't say it was worse for Colby but it was bad for us." Don told her. The fear he felt when they were trying to revive Colby on the freighter was something he never wanted to feel again. He shook himself of that memory. "Anyway, thank…"

David came out, looking a little annoyed. "Um…" He pointed inside, "There are two people on the television screen."

Sam sucked in a breath through his teeth. "Nell and Eric. I should've told them to call."

"Yeah, that would've been nice. They woke Colby up." David headed back in, clearly not happy.

Deeks and Kensi looked at each other. "I would hate to be Nell and Eric right now." Deeks agreed.

* * *

Inside, Colby was sitting up on the couch with his head buried in his hands and Nell and Eric apologising profusely. Colby groaned at they non-stop jabbering.

Callen grimaced in sympathy for Colby, knowing how these two could cause a headache with their chatter let alone what they could do to one that already existed. He held up his hand, "Guys, shut up." He told him them firmly. They immediately went silent. "Nell and Eric are our analysts. They've been gathering information on your case."

Kensi poured a glass of water for Colby when she saw he was trying to hold back his coughs. Colby lifted his head, looking at the glass through his tired eyes. "Thanks." He nodded to the pretty brunette.

"We're together." Deeks blurted out, making Kensi smack him. Everyone turned to him, his team was amused while Don's team was confused.

"What?" Colby was too disoriented to understand what Deeks was implying.

"Ignore Deeks. He's only around for our entertainment." Sam shook his head at Deeks. "You're embarrassing." Colby let the cool water run down his throat. It was a relief. He then looked back at Deeks, trying to gage if he liked this guy or not.

"I was just introducing myself." Deeks had exaggerated actions to go with his words. "My name is Deeks, L.A.P.D liaison and this is Kensi. She's my partner and we're also together."

Colby gave him a crooked smile, amused now that his headache dulled a little. "I wasn't making a move on Kensi." He turned his smile to the pretty agent, "Though I can see why you'd think I would."

Deeks turned to his partner who looked to be checking out Colby's physique, clearly liking what she was seeing. He quickly took off his hoodie. "Here," He threw it at Colby, "You already have a cold, you don't want to make it worse."

Colby gave a cheeky grin, though he was grateful for the hoodie. He was feeling a little self conscious sitting here without a shirt on.

David grinned at seeing the old Colby he knew and loved. Don shook his head, knowing Colby was deliberately egging Deeks on. It didn't take much for Colby to get his smart mouth back. "What are you doing, Colb?" Colby just grinned at him and turned back to the people on the screen. "So are you two together? Just so I know if I can…"

"No!..." They said together. "We're not…we're just really good friends." They were both stumbling over their words. Clearly there was something there.

Callen groaned, rubbing his eyes, "Thanks, Colby, you managed to embarrass two-thirds of my team in the space of five minutes."

Don and his team obviously found this amusing but Don was the boss and figured he should be professional. "Alright, Colb, you've done enough damage."

Colby shrugged, "Consider it payback for waking me up." He said speaking of the earlier rude wake up call.

"That hasn't changed. Never pull a prank on Flink unless you're ready for the response." Sam laughed.

"Flink?" David looked at Don, amused.

"It means agile and quick in Latin." Colby groaned, hoping the nickname didn't stick with his team.

Don nodded, thoughtfully, "Fitting."

"Yeah, as fitting as Bulkhead." Callen laughed, quickly moving out of Sam's reach.

Deeks eyes widened at Sam's army nickname, "B…"

"Say it and you'll be eating out of a straw for the rest of your career." Sam glared at Deeks, who quickly backed off.

"How come he can call you that?" Deeks complained

Sam and Colby both wore a smile that bore from a memory. "I'm the only one who can." Colby grinned proudly and then turned to Callen. "Although I'm pretty sure that right may extend to you."

"Not unless he wants his nieces sleeping at his house until they're teenagers." Sam threatened. Callen just laughed.

"Alright." Callen got them back on track. "What do you guys have?"

"Theodore Enson, an ATF Agent until three days ago, when he resigned, was found dead under the Sixth St bridge."

"Teddy." David shook his head, "He's the one who gave us the tip. I trusted him."

"His bank accounts show he's been receiving money from an off-shore account every week for the last two months." Nell told them.

"Someone paid him to lead us into that warehouse. It was sheer luck that we all got out in time." Don seethed, "If Megan hadn't tripped and saw the C4, we would've been killed." His expression softened when he saw Colby looking at him, his eyes filled with concern. Don smiled, knowing what Colby was thinking. "Megan and Liz are at the FBI safe house. They're fine." Colby smiled and nodded, sitting back, the adrenaline of being shocked awake was wearing off.

"We've looked through your cases since Colby joined and one case stood out in particular, mainly because there's been scuttlebutt about a Russian syndicate here in Los Angeles and the name Koverchenko popped up."

Don's expression hardened. "Yuri Koverchenko. He's in jail."

Nell nodded, "He is but his brother, Alex, took over the _family business._ "

"And he decided to take revenge on the team that brought down his brother." David sighed, "That guy gave us hell the last time he came after you, Don."

"His brother seems more to the point." Colby pointed out. His heart still skipped a beat whenever he thought about the warehouse explosion. "We got no warning of an attack at all. He's going to be harder to find than Yuri."

"We'll find him." Don promised, knowing this case has really shaken Colby up.

"From now until you find the Koverchenko, you have this team at your back." Callen assured them.

Don looked around at the men and women in the room. This was a formidable team and their help would be invaluable, but couldn't in good conscience take this team away from their current cases. "Thank you for what you've done for Colby but we can't take up anymore of your time. This is an FBI case, we should handle it."

Callen smirked, "Never would take you for a territorial type, Agent Eppes."

"It's not that…" Don tried to explain.

Callen held up his hands, smiling. "It was a joke. The truth is; we were ordered on this case by our operations manager." He nodded to Colby, "You're ex-marine so it's not totally out of our jurisdiction. You're also Sam's friend, which automatically makes this our problem." Sam nodded at that. "And according to the records, you're a national hero. Almost single-handedly took down a Chinese spy-ring. As law enforcement agents that are sworn to protect our country and its people, protecting a hero is definitely right up there in our job description." He smiled as Colby ducked his head. Colby never felt comfortable with being called a hero. He completed his assignment; that was all.

The room went silent at that speech. Callen rarely gave a speech that showed his pride in his work and country the way he just did. Kensi figured she should break the silence before it got uncomfortable. She smiled down at Colby. "Well doesn't he blush pretty?" Chuckles started around the room and then a very annoyed voiced sounded over it.

"Am I going to have to put up with this for the entire case?" Deeks complained, making everyone laugh.

* * *

Kensi and Deeks worked at their office while Callen and Sam worked at the boathouse with Don's team. Deeks was happy to be able to get Kensi away from Colby. He didn't like the way they flirted even though Colby and Kensi only did it to tease Deeks.

Colby's coughs were getting closer together and the fits were lasting longer. The doctor had come in to re-stitch Colby's wound and started an IV. The fever was getting too high causing dehydration. Colby was stubborn. He insisted on helping with the case but everyone could see he had reached his limits. He rested the file on his lap and leaned back against the couch. The emotions from the morning and the work were catching up to him. "Why don't you rest?" David took the file off him.

"I'm fine." Colby coughed as he reached for the file. "We have to get this guy."

"We will but we'd rather do it with you there to see it." David worried, holding the file out of Colby's reach.

Colby smirked, "I'm not going to die from a chest cold."

A hand snaked around from behind him, feeling his brow. Colby swatted it away. "Hetty is going to have my head if I let your fever get any higher." Sam put a glass of water and a couple of white pills in front of him. "Anti-biotics."

Colby sighed and downed the pills without complaining. "There." He said, "Now can we keep going?"

"They can, you can not, Agent Granger." Everyone looked at the screen and saw an old woman's face. "You should be resting. Dr James's orders."

"Ma'am?" Colby frowned, "Hetty?" He guessed, looking at Sam, who nodded in confirmation.

"Do yourself a favour and do as she says. It's less painful that way." Callen had walked up behind him and whispered in his ear.

"Ma'am, I'm f…"

"Lay down and rest and the next time I call in you better still be there or I will chain you down." Hetty threatened before cutting the transmission.

Colby didn't know what just happened, but Sam and Callen did. They gently pushed him down onto the couch and made him comfortable with a pillow under the head and blanket over him. "Don't give us any trouble. That warning was as much for us as it was for you."

Colby sighed unsure of why he felt the urge to do exactly as the lady had asked. There was something about her. She was… "She's scary, I know." Callen gave his shoulder a pat. "Go to sleep." Colby closed his eyes and it didn't surprise anyone that he was gone within a minute.

"It's going to be hard to find Koverchenko." Don worried, "He's been careful not to reveal himself through this whole thing and now that he thinks we're dead, there's no reason why he should show himself."

"He wants to take over his brother's business which is hacking, insurance fraud, medical fraud, any type of fraud you can think of, his brother had his hand in." Callen frowned, "Too bad he got a little cocky."

Don smirked, "Yep, never mess with my family."

"You know, I think I can get this guy." Callen smiled, "On ne det'sya."

"Gazuntite." David frowned.

Sam chuckled, "Callen's fluent in Russian and he's pretty good at undercover work."

"I can flush him out. Nell and Eric can build up an alias for me but I'm going to need Eric or Nell undercover with me to do the tech work." Colby looked at his watch. "It's going to take them at least a day to build a profile that will get Koverchenko's attention without raising suspicion."

Don frowned, unsure of putting this man in danger like that. "What's the plan?"

"He'll need good hackers. He's only just starting and his brother's hackers are in jail with him. Nell and Eric can hack with the best of them andNell has the fieldwork training. She'll be out there with me and Eric can back us up." Callen spoke so casually that Don had to wonder how long he's been doing this for. "I've worked for the CIA." Callen read his mind. "Undercover work is what I do."

"So when Sam said you're _pretty good_ at this he meant…"

"He's our best." Sam finished, "Possibly CIA's best."

It wasn't often Sam complimented him like this and never when he's around but Don's team needed the assurance and he was happy to give it. "We can't possibly thank you enough for what you've done for Colby and what you're about to do for us."

"Colby's a good friend, which means you're our friend." Sam smiled, "plus he's not safe until we get this guy."

"Why don't we give Colby a few hours of rest and then we can head out for dinner?" Callen suggested. There wasn't much they could do until Nell and Eric created his alias. "I'll call Eric and tell him what we need."

Sam nodded his thanks to his partner, knowing he was doing this for him. "You two been partners for long?" David asked.

"Over 2 years. How about you and Colby?"

Don chuckled at the supposedly simple question. David smiled wistfully. It felt like so long ago now. "Officially; two years. Unofficially; four."

Sam frowned, "This complicated answer have to do with Colby and his work for counter intelligence?"

"Yes. When he was put on our team, it was to report on us and everyone in the office." Don shook his head, smiling, "We weren't happy when we found out. We thought he was a traitor but five weeks later, Colby almost died…did die after finding out who the real traitor was."

"Still took me a while to forgive him as well as myself for doubting him so easily." David looked over at his sleeping friend. "I couldn't do what he did."

"You were worried your friendship wasn't real." It was the worse part of being undercover. A good undercover agent built connections but a great one couldn't let those connections get in the way of the assignment. In Colby's case it was different. "I know Colby well enough to know a long term undercover assignment isn't for him. In a way, I'd say he was lucky he was undercover in his own office, otherwise he wouldn't have lasted. If Colby treats you like a brother it's because that's the way he feels. He's one of the most genuine guys I've ever met. He can't lie about things like that."

"You talk like you've known him for a long time."

Sam shook his head, "Nah, just that Colby's easy to like."

Don scoffed, "Not according to David."

Sam frowned, "You didn't like him straight away?"

David shook his head; "He came into the office with a soldier mentality. It took us a few weeks to hit it off."

"How did you guys find us?" Don asked Sam. "Agent Fornell told me but…" The man spoke in such a round-about way, Don still couldn't get the story right in his head. "I just got a whole heap of names and that's it."

Sam chuckled, "If Fornell called you, then Hetty must've called the director for a favour. The D.C. office has a pretty good relationship with the FBI. Gibbs probably got Fornell to pull some strings."

Don nodded, it was a clearer explanation than what Fornell gave him. "Well, thanks to them, now the FBI and NCIS have a pretty good relationship here as well." Sam smiled at him nodding. "We were worried about Colby."

"And rightly so. Colby was holding it together when we found him but it wasn't going to last long. There were times I could visibly see him push back his emotions." Sam told them. "I was waiting for him to explode but he held on and then once we found out none of you were dead, I didn't have to worry."

David knew what he was saying. Colby was focusing on revenge. It was the only thing keeping him alive. He was glad for it otherwise he wouldn't have been able to evade Koverchenko's men, but he shuddered to think what would happen to Colby after he got his revenge or if he couldn't. "Colby's seen a lot in his life and he takes it in stride, but I don't think this would've been something he could come back from."

"If it makes you feel any better, I would never have let him go down that road. It's dark and dangerous and not Colby." Sam promised them.

Don and David nodded; it did make them feel better.

* * *

Colby woke up an hour later. To the relief of the men in the room, Colby's fever broke during his sleep. "How do you feel?" David helped him up, careful of his wound.

Colby coughed but nodded, "Better."

"Have a drink." Sam handed him a glass of water.

"Thanks."

"We're going to head out for something to eat as soon as G gets back." Sam told him, "Are you up for some food?"

"Yeah…"

"You better not be thinking about leaving that boat house." Hetty appeared on the screen again, making Colby jump.

"How the hell does she do that?" Colby coughed at her sudden appearance. "Tell me you weren't watching me sleep."

"I am operations manager, Mr Granger, not a nurse."

"Could've fooled me." Colby mumbled under his breath. The guys had to stifle their laughter.

"Hmmm…I can see you must have your hands full with this one, Mr Eppes." Hetty said to Don.

"Only when he's injured or sick and even then he can be pretty entertaining." Don wore a cheeky grin.

Colby glared at him before turning to Hetty. "Are you saying I can't leave here?"

"It's not safe for you out there and your team should not be seen outside too often. You are officially declared dead." Hetty pointed out. "Callen will be acquiring his new identity tomorrow and soon he will meet Koverchenko. After that, we will arrest him and you can return to your normal lives."

"From one safe house to another." Don groaned. At least this one had a nice view.

"You all seem to be forgetting one thing. There is still a mole in our office. Someone kept my details at the office from the director. That's why the only people who were there when I woke up were the fake ATF Agents." Colby pointed out, "And every time I made a call to the office, those same men found me."

"But that person doesn't know that Mr Eppes and his team are still alive?" Hetty did think that was strange.

"There weren't many people who knew we were alive. The director and the people who got us out but they've been briefed on the consequences of talking. We were transported in body bags." Colby shuddered at that. He remembered the news footage of the paramedics rolling out four body bags. Don kept an eye on Colby as he spoke. "Our protection detail was personally picked by the director of the FBI."

"I'm not sitting around here waiting for your team to get the job done. This guy came after us." Colby glared at the screen.

"Mr Granger, I understand that you are angry but…"

"Angry?" Colby asked in disbelief.

"Colby…" Sam warned but his friend ignored him.

"I'm beyond angry, _Ms Lange_." Colby growled at her. He held up three fingers. "Three days of believing my teammates were dead!"

"Colby…" Don put a hand on Colby shoulder.

"NO!" Colby shoved off his boss and shot off the couch. "I'm not sitting this one out. I don't care if the director of the FBI orders me to stand down. This one's personal."

Hetty narrowed her eyes at Colby but Sam could tell she was sympathetic to what Colby was going through. Anyone who knew Hetty knew she has a soft spot; it's just hard to find. "I take it you all feel the same way?" Hetty looked at David and Don.

David nodded, standing beside his friend. He kept a hand on Colby's back. "Colby's right. These guys made it personal."

"This is still an FBI case. You can't stop us from investigating." Don dared to tell her.

Hetty gave a nod. "So be it. Mr Hanna, I will hold you personally responsible for their actions."

Sam's eyes widened incredulously, "What…" It was too late; Hetty cut the transmission. "Ah…now look what you did! You went and got her mad."

Colby dropped back onto the couch. "I think that was the single most bravest thing I've ever done." He let out a long breath. "Hoo!"

"Yeah, she's scary." Don agreed.

"Yeah, you guys get brave and stupid and I get stuck with the consequences." Sam growled. "We're getting take-out tonight." He pulled out his cellphone and called his partner. "G! Go past our pizza place and order our usual…double." He hung up the phone, glaring at Colby.

"So I'm not getting out of here yet?" Colby asked a little sheepishly.

Sam shook his head, clearly not happy.

Colby shrugged at David, who shrugged at Don, who shrugged at both of them.

* * *

The next morning Callen walked in in a dark black suit with a black shirt and black tie. He looked sharp. "Felix Pushkin." Sam introduced Callen.

"eto priyatno vstretit'sya s vami." Callen said. _It's a pleasure to meet you._ He kept a straight face, his eyes were cold and voice was icy. This wasn't the Callen they met yesterday. Finally, Callen smiled and he was himself again.

"Holy crap!" David cursed, "You're good!"

"Thanks, it's what I do." Callen shrugged casually.

"So what do we do now?"

"I'm going out there to make some noise." Callen smiled, "You guys will be playing the waiting game."

Colby looked at him, deadpanned. Don and David weren't that much more impressed. Sam coughed back a laugh. "You weren't here when they put Hetty in her place."

"You what?" The colour almost drained from Callen's face. "How much trouble are we in?"

"We're responsible for their actions." Sam informed him.

Callen had a few choice words for the FBI Agents but he was polite enough not to use them. "That's just great." He turned and slapped Sam on the back. "Well, they're yours until I get can get in with Koverchenko."

Sam turned to them. "Cuffs or no cuffs?"

* * *

 **FBI Safehouse…**

It wasn't hard to find the mole in the FBI. The director's personal assistant intercepted the calls Colby made. Afterwards, she called a burner phone to give the person on the other end Colby's position. It only happened twice because Colby wasn't stupid enough to take a third chance, but twice is enough for Megan and Liz. Liz and Megan were not allowed to make the arrest but they were assured that the woman had been interrogated. There was nothing she told that Megan and Liz didn't already know. Aside from catching a mole, they were still no closer to finding Koverchenko. They prayed Don and the boys had better luck on their side.

* * *

 **One week later…**

Callen walked into his office pulling off his black tie. Nell dropped into Sam chair. "I've never hacked into so many companies before. Surely Koverchenko got wind of another player in town by now!"

"This guy is careful. He could be still vetting our records or keeping an eye on us. We have to be patient." Callen was familiar with the waiting game but even this one has him on edge. He wanted to get this guy and give Don and his team their lives back.

"We have been patient." Nell groaned. "I thought undercover work was more exciting than this."

Callen chuckled, "You don't want the excitement, Nell." He frowned when he heard footsteps storming into the building. "What the hell?" Callen stood from his table. "How the hell did you find this place?" He looked past Don and the boys. "Where's Sam?" He narrowed his eyes, "You better not have killed my partner."

Don wasn't in the mood for games and neither were Colby or Don. "We've waited long enough."

"How did you find us?" Callen really was curious.

"I called the FBI director who called Agent Fornell who called his NCIS contact, Agent Gibbs to return the favour he owed him from last week." Don finally got the connections clear.

"Right and where's Sam?"

"He went out to get us dinner." Colby told the man. "Now, where are we with this case?"

Callen sighed, "Nowhere…yet." He quickly added at the end.

"We need to speed things up." Don declared, "We can't keep sitting around doing nothing."

"If we rush things, Koverchenko will get suspicious."

"Unless we give him something he really wants." Colby spoke up. They all looked at him. "He wanted to entire team dead. I'm the one that got away."

David glared at him. "How long has this stupid idea been going through your head?"

"Since I recovered enough to think straight." Colby returned. He hated the three days of being bed ridden. The chest cold was stubborn. "These guys want me. You take me out there with you and I guarantee Koverchenko will bite."

Callen shook his head. "I can't put you at risk like that."

"It's my choice."

"You care to discuss that with your team first or at least run it through your boss?" Don asked him. He was all for being proactive but not if it meant putting Colby in danger. "For all we know, you go out there and Koverchenko will just have someone shoot you. He may not meet with Callen first."

"Unless I put the word out that I have Colby." Callen voiced his thoughts. "Koverchenko is too cautious, but if he knows that I have what he wants, he'll make contact. Colby doesn't have to be there with me."

"That plan is only slightly better." David wasn't happy.

"Come on, David." Colby begged, "I want to get back to our normal lives. I'm sick of this."

David nodded, "Me too." He turned to Callen. "But this goes down with us. We're not sitting this out while Colby's in the dead centre of it."

Callen nodded, "I don't see a problem with that."

"I do." Hetty stood at the landing of the stairs above them. Eric was standing behind her, shrugging apologetically. He wanted to warn them but Hetty glared at him.

Callen sighed, "Hetty, you've always trusted me with tactical."

"Yes, but with your own team." Hetty pointed out.

"It's their choice." Callen argued.

"Callen's right, it's our choice and as much as I hate the idea of putting Colby in the middle of this, I hate hiding from this guy more." Don looked up at Hetty. "With all due respect, Ms Lange, you're in charge of Callen's team, not mine. I appreciate everything you've done for us but we are the FBI after all. We're not sitting back while your team puts themselves in danger for us."

Hetty humphed and turned around, heading back up. Eric quickly got out of her way. "They better come back unscathed, Mr Callen."

Callen rolled his eyes. "After that wonderful speech, your actions are still my responsibility!"

Colby watch the lady leave before leaning over to whisper in David's ear, who had also done the same. "She's really small." They whispered together.

* * *

"Nell, Eric, start putting the word out there that Feliks has Colby." Nell and Eric headed to the operations room to do their thing.

Don turned to Colby who still didn't look a hundred percent. "Are you sure you're up for this?" Colby nodded. "We've got your back."

Colby smiled, "I know."

A whistle from above them caused the FBI team to wince. "You'll get used to it." Callen laughed. "What is it, Eric?"

"This guy really wants Colby."

Callen frowned, "You and Nell couldn't have been up there for more than a minute."

Eric nodded, "He wants Colby…bad."

Callen got up and headed up the stairs. Don, David and Colby followed. Don and David were worried. This guy must really want Colby dead if they got a hit so soon.

* * *

Don marveled at the technology in their briefing room. "Amita would love this place." He said of his brother's girlfriend.

"Yeah, Charlie would never get her out of it." Colby chuckled. He hadn't thought about them and what they must be going through. "How are they handling this?"

"As well as can be expected. Charlie and Dad had to attend our fake funerals. They weren't happy." Don knew they were shaken up by the tombstone with his name on it. "They'll be fine as soon as this is over." Don said after seeing Colby's worried expression.

"It'll be over soon." Colby assured him.

"I sent out a message via your alias to a known associate of Koverchenko's." Eric put up the guy's face and profile on the screen.

"He's the only person I've met this week but he was cautious when we spoke. Didn't give away much." Callen said of the man on the screen.

"He might've been vetting you for Koverchenko." Don said thoughtfully. "So how do you know Koverchenko took the bait?"

Callen's, or Feliks's, phone rang. He pulled it out and smiled, "He took the bait." Callen answered the phone. "Zdravstvuyte." _Hello._

" _You have someone I want?"_

" _You will have to be more specific. Who are you?"_

" _You know who I am."_

" _Alex Koverchenko."_

" _You have been looking for me."_

" _I just wanted to check out my competition."_ Callen smiled, almost smugly, _"You're a little disappointing."_

" _How so?"_

" _You don't take risks. Yuri ran a smooth operation. You? You don't dare to touch the big jobs."_ Callen was baiting the man.

" _I want the FBI Agent."_

" _How much is he worth to you?"_

" _What do you want?"_

Callen smiled, _"I want to work with you. I have the skills you need but you have the muscles I need."_

" _Come to me with the FBI Agent and I will consider your proposal."_

" _I need assurances first. If I turn up with the FBI Agent, how can I be sure you won't just kill us both?"_

" _I want him dead but he's made me look like a fool. He is one man and he evaded me. I will make him suffer before I reunite him with his team."_

Callen's expression grew cold. _"Where?"_

" _Abandoned warehouse at the pier."_

Callen hung up the phone, looking a little wary. "He'll meet up at the abandoned warehouse at the pier."

"What else did he say?" Don asked. He had watched Callen's expression throughout that conversation. Something about this guy made him nervous.

"He sounded unhinged to me. I'm not even sure he's trying to take over his brother's business." Callen worried, "He just wants revenge. That's why all our attempts to get his attention didn't even get a bite."

"So he only wants Colby."

"He plans on torturing him to death." Callen warned, "Whatever happens, we can't let this man get his hands on you."

"He's not going to." Don said confidently. "We're going to have every inch of that warehouse covered.

Callen's phone rang again, his actual phone. He grinned at the caller ID. "Sam!"

" _They're gone! I've lost them. Hetty is going to kill me!"_

"You're serious. How could you lose them?" Don shook his head at the undercover agent. If he wasn't an NCIS agent he could've gone into acting.

" _I went out to get…"_ Sam paused, _"They're there, aren't they?"_

Callen laughed, "Yeah, get over here. We've made contact and it's going down tonight."

Sam muttered something about a good-for-nothing partner before hanging up.

* * *

Both teams geared up before heading out. It was checked and doubled checked that Colby had a vest on under his brown button up shirt. "What's wrong with you guys? I always wear a vest." Colby smacked away David's hand as he pulled at his collar. "Stop doing that, people are going to talk."

"Just making sure." David defended, holding up his hands.

Colby knew his team were worried for him, especially after everything they've been through but Colby was as qualified at this as any of them. They've done this plenty of times and rarely did anything go wrong. "Let me do this and we can all go back to our normal lives." Colby tried to ease their concern. "If this was any other time none of you will be acting like this."

Don smiled, it was true. They do this for a living so if this was any other case, they would go into it without hesitation. However, this wasn't any other day or any other case. Koverchenko almost succeeded in killing them and went through the trouble of getting fake ATF agents to get to Colby. "This guy is not going to win."

"He's already lost. He's too focused on revenge. That's never good." Callen smiled as he walked up to Colby, holding out zip ties. "You ready to do this?" Colby nodded, putting his hands behind his back. Callen tied his hands together. The zip ties were fake, a little tug and Colby would be free. "Let's go."

* * *

 **Warehouse…**

The NCIS had a man outside the warehouse with infrared goggles. He identified a total of ten men inside the warehouse. One sniper was perched at the first level landing at the back of the warehouse. An NCIS sniper moved in to take him down first. Two men were standing close to the man they determined must be Koverchenko judging by where he was standing and by the fact he had another guy next to him. Dead-centre. Those men were too close to their boss to take out without Koverchenko knowing. Two men in each corner of the warehouse was taken out by Kensi and Deeks. Sam and Don took out the two laying at the top of two storage containers. David incapacitated a man near the back of the warehouse. With six out of ten men taken out, Callen was ready to do this. He led Colby to the entrance of the warehouse. Callen frowned when Colby make a choking sound. "You okay?" He asked, under his breath.

Colby nodded, annoyed that he still wasn't rid of his cough. "Let's just do this." He was glaring at the man in the middle of the warehouse.

" _Mr Koverchenko. I have the man you want."_ Callen called out to the man.

" _Mr Pushkin, you are quite resourceful. How did you know I wanted Agent Granger?"_

" _Word gets around in our line of work, especially when the word is about Koverchenko."_ Something about this did feel right.

" _Word gets around about you as well,_ Mr Callen." Callen's eyes widened, realising his cover was blown. He grabbed Colby and dove to the side behind a storage container.

Colby had already broken the zip tie and pulled out the gun tucked in his belt. "So much for that plan."

"It's fine. We've still taken out most of his men. It's what? Eight against four? We'll be fine." Callen boasted. He smiled when he heard Koverchenko call out in Russian; _where are my men?_

The NCIS sniper took out Koverchenko's bodyguard as soon as Callen's cover was blown, but he didn't get a chance to take down the main man. Colby and Callen moved around to the side of the warehouse, watching each other's backs. "So tell me again how good you are at this undercover thing?" Colby growled out.

"Hey, I'm good, okay? I don't know how this guy found out."

"Another mole?" Colby queried as he poked his head around the next corner. "Clear."

"Come on, how many moles can the Russians have and why would they put one with the NCIS?" Callen countered, "It's got to be something else."

 _"You really shouldn't keep going undercover with the Russians, someone will recognise you."_

Callen cursed, "Someone who works for him must've have recognised me from another case."

"So you're good, but too popular?" Colby teased.

"Shut up, Granger."

* * *

The last two men were taken down easily once everything went to hell. That left only one man; Koverchenko. Koverchenko knew he wasn't getting out of this alive but that didn't mean he was giving up. He had a back-up plan, he just needed to find Granger first. He carefully moved around the warehouse. Unlike his brother, he was military trained and he was good. He avoided the agents as he danced around the warehouse, looking for his target.

It was either his good luck or Colby's bad luck that they rounded the same corner at the same time. Colby froze as soon as he saw what Koverchenko was holding. "You've got to be kidding me." A suddenly coughing fit gave Koverchenko enough time to disarm Colby and using a move similar to one Megan showed him, he had Colby turned around and pulled against him with grenade at his chest and a gun to his head.

Callen spun around but it was too late. This man really was good. _"Let him go, Alex."_

Everyone in the warehouse froze at the voices in their earpiece. Sam looked up at his sniper. "Jo, what's their position."

 _"East side, three rows from the back. He has a grenade and Agent Granger hostage at gun point."_

* * *

"God damn it!" David cursed as he ran towards the position the sniper had given. Don caught up to him and grabbed him before he could reveal himself. "What are you doing? The psycho has Colby."

"Yeah, and he still doesn't know that we're alive. If we catch him by surprise, Colby still has a chance."

* * *

Colby couldn't believe his stupid cough caused this much trouble. _Guess a chest cold can kill me._ He could hear the chatter over his earpiece and prayed Don was right about catching this guy by surprise. _"How do we disarm this guy without detonating the grenade and killing Colby?"_ Sam asked the question.

* * *

Deeks and Kensi were in the row behind Koverchenko and Colby. "I have a clear shot of him so if anyone has any ideas on how I can take him out without killing Colby, I'm all ears." Deeks told them.

* * *

Callen still had his gun pointed at Koverchenko. "G, I'm in the row behind you, try to get him to walk out into the open."

 _"What's that going to do?"_ David asked. _"We take out the gun, he drops the grenade, we take out the grenade he shoots Colby."_

"You want to come up with a plan?" Sam hissed back.

* * *

"Take out one or the other. Just tell me which one." Colby growled, gasping when Koverchenko pulled him tighter against him.

"Shut up." The Russian ordered.

" _You're not getting out this alive, Alex."_ Callen warned.

" _I know, but I'm willing to die as long as I take Granger with me."_ Koverchenko's smile was maniacal.

Callen had a look that told Colby what the man said wasn't good for him. "Give me an option guys." Callen begged. Colby's been through too much to let this be the end game.

" _If you let me leave, I may let him live."_

" _How can I be sure you'll let him go?"_ Callen knew it wasn't an option but he needed to buy time for either team to figure this one out.

" _You don't have a choice."_ The Russian nudged Colby head with the gun to emphasise his point. Colby clenched his jaw at the threat.

 _"Think you can live up to your call-sign, Flink?"_ Sam asked.

* * *

Don didn't like the sound of that. He looked at David who shook his head. He couldn't think of a plan at all. "I really wish Charlie was here."

* * *

"One or both of you are going to have to make an appearance." Sam said into the microphone. He didn't know where they were but he was sure they would have Colby in their sights. "It'll distract Koverchenko enough to give Colby the chance to disarm him."

* * *

"Colby, Kensi and I are in the row right behind you. Run towards us as soon as you can and we'll pull you to safety." Deeks looked at Kensi, who nodded at the plan. It was Colby's best bet.

* * *

"G, duck in here." Sam told his partner, who was had already back up so that he could be seen from Sam's row. "This has got to be the most messed up plan we've ever come up with."

 _"Yeah, well, it's the only plan we have."_ Don growled.

"Jo, if you want to take this guy out as soon as Colby's out of range, it's fine with us." Sam hissed, getting sick of this situation.

 _"Roger that."_ The sniper confirmed.

* * *

Don and David, who were in the row before Sam's, were ready to make the return from the dead. "I'll go." Don told David. "No point both of us stepping out." David nodded. "On my mark." Don closed his eyes, took a breath and stepped out. Five different things happened at once. Callen stepped into the aisle with Sam. "Alex Koverchenko." Don smirked at the fury in the Russians eyes when he saw the lead agent responsible for his brother incarceration was not dead.

"You!" The gun at Colby's head changed its aim and pointed at Don. Something that wasn't a part of the plan and changed everything. Instead of grabbing the gun, Colby gripped the hand holding the grenade and ducked under the arm, dropping to his knee. "Take him out!" Colby was no longer in the line of fire. Don jumped back behind the container, avoiding Koverchenko's shot at him. At the same time the Russian got that shot off, three other guns fired from behind him; four shots in the back, one in the head.

Colby kept a tight grip on Koverchenko's hand as the Russian staggered forward a step and fell. Colby had to fall with him to ensure his grip remained tight on the grenade handle. He dropped on his side; unfortunately it was his injured arm. He ignored the pain as he laid there, looking into the dead eyes of the man who caused so much misery and pain in the past two weeks. It was finally over.

* * *

"Colby!" Sam and Callen reached him first, as they were the closest. He looked down at Colby's hand. "Whoo!" Sam exhaled. "Nice change in plan there."

Colby closed his eyes, "I didn't feel like running." He coughed as his heavy breathing irritated his lungs.

"Colby," David knelt down behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "We really need to get that grenade re-pinned."

"As soon as possible please. My arms killing me." Colby grunted out.

Deeks pulled out his set of keys and undid the wired key ring he had on there. "This should do it." He grimaced as he straightened out the ring until it was long enough to fit through the pinhole in the grenade. He handed it to Sam who nodded his thanks before kneeling down and sticking the metal through the hole.

"Let go slowly, Colby." Sam ordered, keep his own hand around Colby's. Everyone sighed in relief when the handle remained in place.

Colby closed his eyes and rolled onto his back, pulling his arm, protectively to his chest.

Now it was really over.

Everyone was exhausted over the excitement of the last ten minutes. Their bodies felt ready to give out. "Hey Flink?" Sam dropped onto the ground, leaning back against a container.

Colby didn't open his eyes. "Yeah?"

"The next time you get into trouble, don't call me." Sam requested.

Colby's grinned and coughed out a laughed. He rolled onto his good side, laughing and coughing at the same time. It was contagious because soon both teams were laughing so hard, they couldn't stop.

* * *

 **Two hours later…**

Two teams sat around the room at the boathouse. Everyone enjoyed pizza and beer. It was a celebration. Don's team finally got their lives back. He had even called Liz and Megan to join them. They almost bowled Colby over when they arrived at the boathouse and saw him alive and well. Colby didn't mind. He savoured having them in his arms, not quite willing to let them go. He did eventually, just so they could enjoy the party.

Colby walked around ensuring he thanked each and every member of Sam's team. They were good people and they made a great team. There was one more person that he wanted to thank though, who wasn't there. At least he thought she wasn't until a voice came from the television screen. "Having fun?" Everyone froze and turned to the screen.

"You did invite her, right?" Callen asked Sam.

"Me? You were supposed to." Sam grilled through his forced grin.

"How do you do that?" Colby blurted out. "It's like you have a sixth sense or something."

"I hope you're not drinking the beer, Agent Granger." Hetty ignored his question.

"Huh?" Colby was confused.

"You are still recovering from your injuries and shouldn't be drinking any alcohol." Hetty clarified.

Liz and Megan looked at each other, amused and curious as to whom this woman was.

"You lied. You are a nurse." Colby put his beer down on the table. "No more drinking." He's pushed his luck with this lady enough already.

"Good." Hetty said satisfied.

Callen and Sam sighed in relief when they saw she was about to cut the connection. "Oh, and Mr Callen and Mr Hanna, I will be expecting a good reason as to why I was not invited to this party." Callen and Hanna bowed their head in defeat. She moved to turn off the screen when Colby quickly called out.

"I haven't thanked you, Ms Lange, for everything you've done for me." Colby smiled and ducked his head, when everyone turned to him, not comfortable with the attention. He lifted his head back up, wanting her to see his sincerity. "You lead an amazing team. It's been a privilege to work with you." He looked around the room. "All of you."

Hetty smiled, nodding proudly at the young man she's gotten to know over the past ten days. "The privilege was ours and my team calls me Hetty."

Colby grinned, "Thank you, Hetty."

"You're welcome, Colby." Hetty signed off.

* * *

The party came to an end. It was time for the teams to return to their separate lives and jobs. Don shook Callen and Sam's hand. "We owe you. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

David said goodbye to Nell and Eric. "We're going to have to introduce you to Charlie and Amita. I have a feeling the four of you have a lot in common."

Colby shook Deeks's hand. "It's been good working with you." He grinned, "You're not what I'm used to but it's been fun."

He turned to Kensi and pulled her in for a hug. "Oh?" Kensi was surprised at the display of affection but returned it. "Just messing with your boyfriend." He whispered in her ear, making her giggle. Deeks narrowed his eyes at him. Colby laughed, letting her go. Deeks quickly pulled her back to him, wrapping his arm around her, possessively. Colby shook his head, laughing.

He walked up to Sam and gripped his hand. "I wouldn't have survived those first few days without you."

Sam smiled, "I don't know. I know Colby Granger pretty well and he's strong."

"Not that strong." If he really did lose his team, Colby knew he wouldn't survive. "But it feels good to know I have another team to give me strength when I need it."

"You remember that, Flink." Sam ordered.

Colby nodded, smiling. "The same goes for you, Bulkhead."

 **The End.**


End file.
